Coach Flack
by the bean25
Summary: Coach Flack gets in over his head with a girl.  Flack, Danny, OCs
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters. There are spoilers from "Oedipus Hux"- the part about Flack being a coach for a YMCA basketball team.

Enjoy! Read and Review!!

Chapter 1

Don just finished coaching the group of boys at the YMCA. He was putting the basketballs in the rack and he wheeled it into the storage room off of the court. He walked across the court and down the hallway to the front doors. The young kids had left twenty minutes earlier, walking out all together. It was after 3 pm. When he was out the front door he noticed one of the boys sitting on the front steps. It was the new kid; he was just there spending the summer with his aunt.

"Hey, Sam," Don said and the boy turned to look at him as he sat down next to him. "Are you waiting on your ride?"

"Yeah, my aunt is supposed to come get me. She probably forgot about me," Sam kept his head down as he talked.

"Oh, I'm sure she didn't forget. Maybe she got stuck in traffic or something."

Sam sighed. "My parents…they went to China for the summer and left me with my aunt. They go every summer, and usually I go to camp, but for some reason they left me with her this year."

"Hey, this city is a pretty cool place for a kid your age."

"Yeah, but it's not like my aunt has time to take me anywhere."

"I know what it's like to have to work a lot, and I have nieces and nephews I don't get to see much. I'm sure your aunt loves having you around."

A small black SUV pulled up to the curb, and a young woman got out and came running up the stairs.

"I'm so sorry Sammy," she was saying as she came toward them.

Sam stood up. "It's ok. I'm going to the car."

"Sammy," the young boy walked away. She turned to look at Don, who had stood. "I'm sorry. Thanks for waiting with him." She held out her hand. "I'm Jillian by the way."

"Don," he took her hand. "It's nice to meet you." He looked at the car then back at her. "He'll be ok. I think he's just kind of upset about his parents leaving him for the summer and everything."

"Yeah, my brother wanted a kid so bad, but he and his wife make it too much of a routine to abandon him, and leave him with someone else." She smiled. "I love my brother."

"He'll pull through. Maybe it will be good for him to spend some time here with you."

"Maybe it will be good for the both of us. Well, I better get going. Thanks again for waiting with him, I'll try hard next week to get here on time."

Don contemplated asking her out or for her number before he noticed the small diamond ring on her left finger. "That's ok. I guess I'll see you next week then." He watched her walk down the stairs to her car. She was wearing black dress pants and a red top. Both fit her body perfectly. He had to snap out of it; she was another man's.

The next week the boys Don coached had a game against a group from another YMCA team. Halfway through the game Don noticed Sam's aunt, Jillian, walk in and sit in the bleachers. Don smiled. He knew Sam would be happy that she had begun to show interest. Don's team won the game; he didn't think he was the greatest coach but he was confident in his team.

Jillian made her way down the stairs of the bleachers. The team was all on the floor celebrating their victory. Jillian went over to her nephew and hugged him tightly.

"Good job, Sammy. That was a great lay-up you did at the end." Jillian told him.

"I can't believe you came to my game," Sam responded.

"Of course, buddy, I wouldn't miss it for the world. I was a little late, but I didn't tell you that." She laughed and hugged her nephew close again.

"Hey, Don, that was some great coaching," Jillian said to Don as he made his way to them.

"Yeah, it was all the kids, but thanks." He flashed a smile. "You wanna join us for pizza to celebrate?"

She looked at Sam then back at Don. "Actually, yeah that sounds fun."

Jillian offered to drive a few more of the boys to the pizza parlor. Don took a few with him, and another parent took the rest.

At the pizza parlor Don sat across from Jillian at one of the three tables the waitress had put together for them. He was so mad at himself for staring at her as she laughed and talked. He knew how mad he would be if he was her fiancé and another man was looking at her or having the thoughts that he did about her.

Don was very happy to see Sam's excitement when his aunt had showed up at the game and when she agreed to go get pizza with them. He was a good kid who only wanted some kind of parental units around, even stand-ins. Don was happy to help him get used to the city, and fit in with the other boys on the team.

Jillian had decided to take the other boys home on her way to her own apartment. Don watched her drive away. There was something about her that, if she was any other girl, made him crazy.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Don was with Danny at a scene a couple days later in Central Park. Danny was talking about the Yankees game that was coming up, and the stats of the different teams.

"You gonna go to the game?" Don asked him.

"Eh, I was thinking about it, but I'd probably get called into work and miss it anyway. What about you?"

"I might, I got a kid in my group at the YMCA that might really like it."

"You should take him then. What's his deal?"

"Uh, his parents leave him every summer and go to China or somewhere for business, and he's staying with his aunt this summer."

Danny looked up at him and smiled.

"What?" Don asked.

"His aunt, huh?"

Don smirked. "With a ring on her left hand."

"Man, that sucks."

"Yeah, tell me about it." Don walked over to an officer who had called his name.

Later on that day Don was driving back to his apartment. He dialed the number for the YMCA to get the phone number to call Sam. He dialed the number and a female voice answered.

"Is this Jillian?" Don asked.

"Yeah, it is. Who's this?"

"This is Don Flack. I was wondering if maybe Sam would want to go to a game with me this weekend. The Yankees game."

"That sounds like a lot of fun. I'm ok with it. Let me go ask him." Don heard her muffled voice and Sam's enthusiastic answer. "He says he wants to go, and he's really excited."

"Alright, the game's at three on Sunday, so I'll pick him up at two. How does that sound?"

"That sounds good to me. I'll let him know. He'll have so much fun."

"Yeah, I haven't been to a game myself in a while."

"Don?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for this. It means a lot to me, maybe more than it does to him. He's been really down about his parents and not having any friends around."

Don smiled as she spoke. "It's no problem, really."

"Well, I gotta go. Thanks again, and I'll see you soon."

They said their goodbyes and Don hung up his phone. He had caught himself smiling quite a bit when she was talking. He needed to suppress the feelings he felt for her.

When Don got to Jillian's apartment on Sunday he knocked on the door and Sam answered the door. He was wearing, what looked like, a brand new Yankees jersey.

"Hey, coach," Sam greeted enthusiastically.

"Hey, buddy, you ready to go?" Don replied as he stepped inside.

"Yeah, I gotta say goodbye to Aunt Jillian first."

Jillian came into the room. Don glanced past her at the man sitting on the couch. He wanted to turn around and run out the door. "Are you guys leaving?" she asked with a smile and her hand on Sam's shoulder.

"Yeah, we are. Bye Aunt Jillian." Sam started to walk to the door. "Bye Carter," he yelled to the living room.

Don looked at Jillian. "I guess we're leaving. We'll be back in a few hours."

"Ok, have fun."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A few days later Don was walking out of the precinct. He was walking across the street to the hot dog vendor. He noticed Jillian coming out of a building a couple doors down. She came walking down the sidewalk toward him.

"Jillian," he yelled out to her.

"Oh, hey, Don." She walked over to him.

"How are you?"

"I'm doing good. How about you?"

"Good. Just grabbing some lunch in between paperwork. Do you work over here?"

"Yeah, I'm an administrative assistant for an attorney."

"So, you stay pretty busy, huh?"

"Yeah, my lunch break is my only opportunity to go run some errands that have to be done during the day."

"You sound like me. I can never get errands done. What does Sam do while you're working?"

"Don't worry. He hangs out with some kids down the hall from me; they made friends pretty fast. Their mom is home all day. That must be nice." She smiled then looked at her watch. "Hey, I better go. It was nice running into you, though."

"Yeah, you too."

That night Don was meeting Danny and Sheldon at Sullivan's. When he walked in he spotted his friends at the bar. He sat down on the stool to the right of left of Danny. Sheldon leaned forward to look beyond Danny at Don and said hello. Don ordered a beer from the bartender. When the bartender walked away he saw him talking to a younger woman at the other end of the bar. Don smiled when he noticed who it was. Jillian was sipping a Cosmopolitan.

"What are you looking at?" Danny asked his friend.

"Remember the kid I told you about. The one I coach at the YMCA?"

"Yeah, with the aunt with the ring."

"Yeah, well that's her sitting at the end of the bar." Don sipped his beer a couple times. He stood up with his beer in his hand.

"Where are you going?" Danny asked.

"I'm going to say hi."

"Ring, Don, there's a ring on her left hand."

He patted his friend's shoulder. "I'm just going to say hi."

Don walked over to the young girl, and she turned when she noticed him coming toward her. She flashed him a smile.

"You have got to be kidding me. I can't get away, can I?" she commented as he sat down next to her.

"I guess not. Is this your after work spot?"

"Sometimes. You're gonna think I'm a terrible guardian. Both times you've seen me today Sam hasn't been with me."

"Nah, you just probably need a break. I don't expect you to be attached at the hip. Where's your fiancé?"

She smirked. "He's an ER Doctor at North General so he works a lot of hours. It's hard for him to make plans to meet me, something always comes up."

"Yeah, that's how my job tends to be sometimes." He took a long drink of his beer. "So, how's your job?"

"It's good. I keep busy. The phone rings off the hook, and there's piles of paperwork."

They chatted for a while as they sat at the bar drinking. She was drinking a cosmopolitan, a sissy drink in his eyes, and he had his usual pint of Guinness. Danny and Sheldon came to say goodbye and Don introduced them to Jillian. Danny had shaken his head at Don as they left the bar. When it was a little after ten Jillian commented that they needed to leave and Don walked her out of the bar to catch a cab. They talked a little more as they waited for a cab to stop. Don laughed at Jillian as she slightly slurred her speech every once in a while.

A cab stopped at the curb and Don opened the door for her. She stood in the open door and stared at him for a minute. She stepped back up onto the curb and stood up a little on her tip toes and kissed him. He didn't think, he just kissed her back. She smiled then got into the cab.

It was a great kiss, but Don had to force himself back into reality. She was engaged to be married. She had a great Doctor fiancé.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

(Jillian POV)

The day after the kiss with Don Jillian woke up with a splitting head ache. She had a couple too many cosmos the night before. She could hear Sam in the kitchen making lots of noise probably just getting cereal. She got out of bed, slid her feet into a pair of slippers, and pulled on her robe. She was putting her hair up in a ponytail as she went down the hallway. When she got to the kitchen she could see Sam pouring a bowl of cereal, and a glass of orange juice.

"Hey, buddy," Jillian said in a quiet tone.

"Hey, Aunt Jilly. You slept a long time, are you ok?"

"Uh, I will be. I need some coffee," as she walked over and rubbed her nephew's hair. "So, what are you gonna do today?"

"Aren't we hanging out?"

"I have a dress fitting. I know, I don't really want to go. It's annoying and necessary."

"Well, that sucks. Maybe I'll call Coach Flack and see if he wants to hang out."

"Oh he might be working sweetie, maybe you can hang out with Cooper and his brothers."

"Yeah, I guess."

Jillian watched him walk out of the living room with his bowl of cereal. He looked disappointed that she had told him Don was probably working. She stopped as she reached for a mug in the cupboard. All of a sudden she remembered the kiss she had shared with Don the night before. She almost dropped the mug.

A few hours later Jillian was in a bridal shop with her best friend Angela. She was staring into the mirror in the dressing room. She was wearing a $1,000 dress that fit her perfect and was gorgeous. All of a sudden she fell down onto the small bench in the room.

"Jilly, honey, you ok?" Angela was asking her from outside the dressing room.

"What?" Jillian asked.

Angela pulled the curtain back a little. "Jillian, what's wrong?"

Jillian just kept her eyes on the image of herself in the mirror. Angela pushed the dress over and sat down next to her best friend. She put her hand on her own pregnant stomach. "Honey, tell me what's wrong."

"Angie, I can't do this."

"Try on dresses? Ok let's go I'm hungry."

Jillian put her hand on her friends'. "Angie, I can't marry Carter."

"What do you mean?"

Jillian looked down at the dress then back at her friend. "There's…it's just…Angie I don't love him anymore."

"What do you mean? You have been with him for two years."

"It's gone, Angie. It was there don't get me wrong but things have changed. We hardly see each other because he works all the time. He treats me like gold, Angie, but I just can't…I can't continue pretending."

"Jillian, marriage is forever, there's not turning around. I mean you can, but…Do what you need to do, Jilly. I love you and I'm your best friend. I want you to be happy, and if this is all about that Detective you met he better be worth it."

Jillian smiled with tears in her eyes. "I can't get anything past you, can I?" She furrowed her brows. "I kissed him last night, Angie."

"Oh my god, Jillian."

"I know," she said loudly.

The two busted out in laughter. They fell to each other and hugged tightly. Jillian was laughing and crying at the same time.

"How am I going to tell him?" Jillian asked her friend.

Angie looked into her younger best friend's eyes. "Honey, you got me." She shook her head and smiled. She kissed Jillian's forehead then left the small room.

Jillian changed out of the dress and the two of them left the shop empty-handed. They went to lunch, and then Angie sat with Jillian on a park bench as Jillian told Carter she needed to see him. He told her he was working for a while, and couldn't meet her soon. Angie left her with a hug at the park. Jillian stared at the ring on her left hand as she sat there alone. She forced herself up off the bench and to the curb to get a cab.

At North General Hospital Jillian jumped out of the cab and went into the ER. She walked up to the front desk of the reception area.

"I need to see Dr. Carter Henderson please. He's my fiancé, it's important," Jillian told the woman at the desk.

"He's busy right now, can't this wait?" the woman asked.

"Jillian?" she heard a male voice behind her. She turned and saw Carter walking to her.

"Hey, Carter."

"What are you doing here?"

"I really need to talk to you. Can you take a break for a few minutes?"

"Yeah, everything ok?" he looked concerned.

She forced a smile. "Yes, just a couple minutes, that's all I need from you."

She followed him out the front doors of the ER and into the ambulance bay. "So, what's going on Jillian? You seem upset about something."

Jillian leaned against the wall and sighed. Carter was standing in front of her. She slid the ring off her left hand and handed it to him with tears in her eyes.

"What's going on?" he asked confused.

"I can't do this, Carter." She couldn't look him in the eyes. "Carter, I love you, but I just can't marry you."

"What do you mean, Jillian? I thought everything was going so good."

She looked up at him. "We've been together so long. I think marriage was the next step, but really Carter I don't think either of us are ready to get married. We hardly see each other anymore. I know you work hard and I don't want to seem needy, but in order to be married we need to see each other." She ran a hand through her hair. "This is it, Carter, we're stuck in a rut that seems to be turning into a crater or a cavern."

"So, this is it. You're walking away?"

A tear fell down Jillian's cheek. "Yeah, it seems that I am."

"I'm sorry, Jillian."

"Me too, Carter." She touched his face gently then walked past him to the street.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

(Don's POV)

Don was at the basketball court close to his apartment. He had just finished his time at the YMCA with his boys, and was now meeting Danny and some other detectives to play some basketball.

Danny and the others were there when Don got there. They started right into a game of two on two. Don and Danny were together against the others. They were doing well. Don took pride in his basketball skills and Danny was the same way. When their game was done the four men were taking a break, drinking some water. Don was standing, facing the park when he noticed a woman standing close to the court leaning against a tree.

"I'll be right back," Don stated and started to walk away.

"Flack," Danny scolded.

"Danny, relax."

Danny held up his left hand, pointing to his ring finger.

Don continued over to Jillian. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I asked Sam, he said you were coming here after you practice with the boys. I need to talk to you."

He noticed the serious look on her face. "Alright," he led her to a bench. He motioned for her to sit down.

"No, I can't sit. I have to just get this out."

"Are you ok?"

She held up her hand. "I have to explain to you." She breathed heavily. "I met Carter Henderson two years ago at a charity auction for the hospital. We dated pretty steady for a good year and a half before he asked me to marry him. I accepted because I loved him, but I think looking back I wasn't ready and I knew it. Carter is a great guy and he has always treated me like gold. But it just left one day, the love. I love Carter, but I'm not in love with him anymore. So, yesterday I was sitting in a dressing room wearing this gorgeous white gown and it hit me like a ton of bricks- I can't marry this guy. I don't want to be unhappy for the rest of my life. Not that he would make me unhappy, but I wouldn't be marrying him for the wrong reasons, not for love. I gave the ring back."

"Is this because of me?"

She smiled. "Don, you have a little to do with it, but I'm pretty sure this was inevitable whether I met you or not."

"You could've at least tried to boost my ego," he smirked.

"I'm sure it needed a boost too," she smiled at him then shook her head. "Why do you do this to me?"

"What did I do?"

"You, you just make me weak in the knees. How's that for an ego boost?"

He stepped closer to her and put a hand on her face. "Jillian, the feeling is mutual. That kiss the other night about did me in."

His deep voice and steely blue eyes were enough to make her fall into his arms. "You're all sweaty and kind of smelly but right now…" she trailed off.

"Alright, alright I need to get back to my game. I'll call you later, ok?"

She smiled then licked her lips. She stood up on her toes and kissed his lips gently. "I hope so."

Don watched her walk away with a bit of a shiver. He didn't need just any shower, but a cold shower would be appropriate.

"What was that? I'm pretty sure there is a ring on her left hand," Danny was saying as they walked onto the court.

"Take a closer look next time, there's no ring anymore, Danno."

"You broke them up? God, Flack."

"She said it wasn't me. She said it would've happened even if I hadn't come along."

"You're killin' me man." Danny shook his head and walked away, bouncing the basketball.

"Hey, Coach," Sam commented as he opened the front door to let Don inside the apartment.

"Hey, Sam. You ready for some fun at Coney Island?"

"We're going to Coney Island?" Sam asked with excitement.

"Yeah, didn't your aunt tell-"

"I was keeping it a surprise, but thanks for ruining it," Jillian scolded as she walked into the room.

Don checked out her short-sleeve pink sweater and dark denim jeans. "You look really nice," Don told her.

She greeted him with a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks." She looked at Sam. "Ok, so we're going to Coney Island. I'm so ready for a corn dog, so let's go."

"This is gonna be awesome," Sam exclaimed. He grabbed his aunt's hand and began to drag her out the door.

Jillian grabbed her purse and keys. Don followed them out the door. Sam was still pulling her. "Hang on, buddy I gotta lock the door."

"Come on, come on," Sam was anxious to get to the fun.

Jillian put her arm around Don's waist as they walked. "Yeah, let's go Coach," Jillian told him sarcastically as they walked.


End file.
